Returning swifts

For me, summer begins when the swifts return to nest under the eaves of our neighbours house. Unfortunately we live in a bungalow and it too low to attract swifts.

The swifts spend the winter south of the Savannah in Africa. The return to the UK last week in April or early May. In previous years I have usually seen the first arrivals by 4th May but this year they were a little late.

Swifts traditionally nested in rocky crags, sea-cliffs, caves, hollow trees and even nest holes made by other birds. Now most swifts nest in buildings, which has allowed them to colonise many new areas.

We usually have three pair nest in our neighbours property. Once the chicks have hatched the adults collect large amounts of insect food in the air, preferably at heights over 50 m, collected in a special food pouch.

Their ariel acrobatics area joy to watch and they often sweep low over our garden - low enough to touch (but of course I don't) 

Fox family and swift flock

The foxes have begun to appear earlier in the evening - today the first appeared at 6.50am.

It was soon joined by the cub

The foxes were way down the track and the pictures taken on full zoom in low light so they are not brilliant quality.

After about 15 minutes the foxes trotted off and disappeared from view.

While this was going on a large flock of about 30 plus swifts screamed overhead. This maybe the nighttime aggregation as swifts flock together and cat nap on the wing at high altitudes. The nesting swifts next door may already have joined this group.

At 8.15pm the foxes reappeared down the track and were joined by a third fox, the other parent, possibly the male as he is bigger than the female. This one also has a bushier tail. The adult foxes seemed to be playing with the cub chasing each other. Eventually they disappeared again.

9.10pm and the foxes were visible in the gloom. Now the adults were actively hunting. The cub was investigating things but more, it seemed, out of curiosity. The cub came down to within about 10 feet of where I was standing at our wall. The fox eventually lay down on the track looking out towards the road. Then it sat up. I took the chance of taking a photograph using flash.

The reflection of the foxes eyes makes it look more alien in nature!

It did not seem to disturb the fox at all. I watched it for about another 10 minutes before it trotted back up the track. When I went back into the house, I could still see the shapes of hunting foxes in the track.

House martins

I already miss the swifts screaming a couple feet above our garden every day as they fly past the nest site next door. They have now left for the return flight for Africa where they will spend the winter.

Swifts

I have been noticing the odd small group of house martins over the months but they appear much more frequently now.

House Martin

Not as high flying as the swift, house martins resemble swallows without the tail fork. Like swallows they make a mud nest and I think the ones we see locally nest on the farm buildings to the North of us. Swifts, house martins and swallows are quite similar, but as you can see from the drawing below there are distiguishing features.

Picture from a book I have written called Animal Neighbours: Swallows

The house martin and swallow are most alike. The main difference is the swallows forked tail. The swift is quite different with its wide sickle-shaped wings.

Herring gulls and swifts

For the last couple of days the herring gulls in the main nest site I have been following are preparing for flight. There has been a lot of wing flapping and wing stretching activity. One even jumped up and and down a few times.

The swifts are still performing ariel displays.

Shadow on the road as a swift screams overhead.

I will miss them when they leave for their winter home in Africa, usually in August.

Now that the young have fledged there has been a lot of coming and going from the nest site.

In the past this has been quite discreet, a single bird breaking away from the rest and making a low silent entry to the nest. Today there is a lot of screaming and almost a atmosphere of excitement.

Swifts

There are now 4 swifts flying around this morning. As often the case, I heard them screaming past the house, which attracted my attention to them. I look forward to watching their nesting progress this year